Activision: Social and Casual Games Don't Make Money
- Thread starter Greg Tito
- Start date
This comment makes me wonder about the other side of the equation. I'm pretty sure Kotick would be all for making money wherever he could, so if he doesn't think there's any money in casual games, I'm going to assume it's because it would cost Activision too much to make them. Sure, startup companies can make them for cheap, because it's just a couple of guys, a laptop, and a microwave; but a company with HR and Legal and Contracts and Finance and Advertising etc. can't make anything cheaply.
Good god, Kotick says the stupidest sh*t sometimes. I guess he kinda forgot how Zynga went from an tiny upstart company to being worth $5 billion IN JUST THREE YEARS.
If 600 million dollar revenues are not "worth the investment" the I dunno what is.
Do they make as much money as COD or WoW? Of course not, but he's missing a huge market.
If Kotick had it his way, there'd be only two or three games released a year.
I can't wait we get some comments from an actual developer, or at least someone with a common sense.
Kotick just thinks that if a game is not AAA megablockbuster, then it is not worth making.
If 600 million dollar revenues are not "worth the investment" the I dunno what is.
Do they make as much money as COD or WoW? Of course not, but he's missing a huge market.
If Kotick had it his way, there'd be only two or three games released a year.
I can't wait we get some comments from an actual developer, or at least someone with a common sense.
That's wrong on so many levels. First of all, yes all those things are expensive, but they are already there and being paid for; activision could EASILY and CHEAPLY set up a small studio to make casual games and mobile apps.waxwingslain said:
Kotick just thinks that if a game is not AAA megablockbuster, then it is not worth making.
Why is he still employed? He's a track record of just mulling over new ways to milk his own little cows. That's all he does.
Just a quick idea Bobby. http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/103702-PopCap-Delighted-With-WoWs-Plants-vs-Zombies-Tribute
That CASUAL game that made LOTS of MONEY is in YOUR GAME. You sanctimonious prick.
Just a quick idea Bobby. http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/103702-PopCap-Delighted-With-WoWs-Plants-vs-Zombies-Tribute
That CASUAL game that made LOTS of MONEY is in YOUR GAME. You sanctimonious prick.
Why is Kotick trying so hard to be liked all of a sudden? A year ago he wanted to be hated.
It's like when they came out with New Coke and everyone hated Coca-Cola Company then they switched it back and everyone loved them.
That's what he's doin.
It's like when they came out with New Coke and everyone hated Coca-Cola Company then they switched it back and everyone loved them.
That's what he's doin.
Yes.Zeithri said:
And I kinda heard him saying it in teyrn loghain's voice "The place where YOU have the opportunities for growth is within the communities of franchises WE control"
On the other hand, as much as it seems an idiot move now, wouldn't it be hilarious if the screeching masses got bored of casual games and every company invested into them basically lost whatever they'd invested?
Well, it would to me anyway. I'm cynical like that.
And before anyone says it, I'm not sticking up for teyrn kotick, simply stating that it would be hilarious if he was actually right...
There's a lot of people in this thread with the reading comprehension of a bag of retarded chips, falling back on their Kotick hate with nothing other than the unfortunately-worded title of the article to guide their posts.
As much as I dislike Kotick and find his PR and investment in the gaming medium appalling at best, the people trying to hold up Bejeweled and Angry Birds or whatever as counterarguments should really do themselves a favor and shut up. All Kotick essentially said is that casual games are not Activision's ballgame, and the money that could go into them would probably be better off spent on games that are - you know, like full-length games with dedicated and expandable stories. The franchises that Activision maintains now are perfectly adequate at holding up the company's value, and if its board of directors, customers, and investors have no problem with that as it is, then there's no good reason that staying within that field should be considered a bad decision.
Is it innovative? Fuck no. But that's not the CEO's job, and in some respects this is hardly even Kotick's exclusive decision to make. And I doubt any of you apes jumped on Nintendo for not going along with the "let's make a PHONE too!" even when their grasp of innovation is even worse than Activision's.
As much as I dislike Kotick and find his PR and investment in the gaming medium appalling at best, the people trying to hold up Bejeweled and Angry Birds or whatever as counterarguments should really do themselves a favor and shut up. All Kotick essentially said is that casual games are not Activision's ballgame, and the money that could go into them would probably be better off spent on games that are - you know, like full-length games with dedicated and expandable stories. The franchises that Activision maintains now are perfectly adequate at holding up the company's value, and if its board of directors, customers, and investors have no problem with that as it is, then there's no good reason that staying within that field should be considered a bad decision.
Is it innovative? Fuck no. But that's not the CEO's job, and in some respects this is hardly even Kotick's exclusive decision to make. And I doubt any of you apes jumped on Nintendo for not going along with the "let's make a PHONE too!" even when their grasp of innovation is even worse than Activision's.
Agreed, they need more outside help, but my point was that the Kotick hate here is unjustified when he made the same statement that Nintendo did - stick to what you know. And it's working damn well for them both, so I wanted to point out the hypocrisy and/or faulty intelligence of...about half this thread so far.wammnebu said:
Minesweeper 2: Redemptionstinkychops said:
Purble Place 3: Rise of the fallen
Chess Titans: reloaded. "The queens are back, and they're packing heat."
Yes, there have been some some huge social and casual game successes. But there have been literally thousands of failures too. For a company like Activision to spend $5million dollars jumping into a segment about which they know very little is like spending $5million on lottery tickets. Yes, you could win big... or you could end up being one of the thousands who get nothing. Why bother when you have several cash cows in which you could invest instead?